All change yet again at troubled giants Valencia (Feature)

By Duncan Shaw Jul 11, 2008, 10:28 GMT

Madrid - As the old saying goes in France, plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.

Troubled Spanish giants are, this week, undergoing another wave of profound changes, in an expensive bid to regain their stature as one of the top clubs in La Liga and in Europe.

Another old maxim could be applied to Valencia in the last few years: there is nothing so constant as change.

Since Juan Soler bought up the club and became president in 2004, Valencia have gone through five coaches and four sporting directors.

Soler became so unpopular last season - in which 'Los Ches' finished 10th but did win the King's Cup - that he gave up the presidency to crony Agustin Morera.

Soler tried to sell his majority shares but could not find a buyer, so continues in control.

This week he raised eyebrows by appointing controversial businessman Juan Villalonga as general manager, with the awesome task of putting the club's finances in order - and supervising the construction of the new stadium.

Villalonga was a notorious figure in Spain in the 1990s, as president of telecommunications giant Telefonica during its period of privatization.

He openly admits that he knows 'nothing at all' about football, and is therefore searching for a old football hand to put the club's chaotic structures in order.

According to Marca and AS on Friday, Villalonga has decided to appoint veteran Basque coach Xabier Azkargorta as sporting director.

The phlegmatic Azkargorta was one of the first Spanish coaches to work abroad, and his been national manager of China, Chile and Bolivia.

He will be the direct boss of technical secretary Juan Sanchez - who was appointed in April when Ronald Koeman and his assistants were all axed - and of new coach Unai Emery.

Will this talented trio manage to see eye-to-eye, or will it be another case for Valencia of too many cooks spoiling the broth?

The first task of Azkargorta, Sanchez and Emery will be to reduce a bloated, ill-balanced squad of 34 players, many of whom will be returning to Mestalla next week after being loaned out last season.

Sanchez has made it clear that, before any new players can be signed, around 13 or 14 men will have to be sold or loaned out again.

Then they will have to decide whether to sell Euro 2008 stars David Villa and David Silva - or keep them at the club, with improved salaries.

All in all, it promises to be a long, hot, difficult summer in Valencia.